1. Field of the Invention
This invention provides a process for preparing novel hydrophobically associating polymers containing cationic functionality. These water dispersible polymers contain both water soluble and water insoluble monomers. The water soluble monomers are acrylamide (AM) and a salt of an unsaturated amine base (C) and the water insoluble monomer is a higher alkyl(meth)acrylamide or alkyl(meth)acrylate (R). These polymers will hereafter be referred to as CRAM. The process for their preparation relies on solubilizing the water insoluble monomer into an aqueous solution by means of a water miscible cosolvent. Dissolution of the hydrophobic monomer(s) can be carried our in the presence of neutral and/or cationic monomers, such as acrylamide, 3-methacrylamidopropyltriethylammonium chloride (MAPTAC), 2-methacrylatoethyltrimethylammonium chloride (METAC) or diallyl dimethylammonium chloride (DMDAAC). Redox, azo, peroxide, or other free radical initiators are used to copolymerize both the water soluble and hydrophobic monomers, forming terpolymers of ethylenically unsaturated amine base salts, alkyl(meth)acrylamides or alkyl(meth)acrylates and acrylamide. These polymers provide exceptional clean-up of waste waters containing organic contaminants. Also they are very effective for resolving oil-in-water emulsions, such as those found in oil production.